Content to Just Be
by Windy Perfection
Summary: This takes place after 'Soulless.' Alex and Olivia are already in a relationship.
1. Chapter 1

This takes place after 'Soulless.' Alex and Olivia are already seeing one another by this point.

tap, tap, tap "Olivia, it's me. Open up."

Olivia registers the tapping and familiar voice from within the dark apartment, but doesn't move to answer the door. The tapping gets louder and before the neighbors wake up, she decides to get up. She makes her way to the door and opens it. "What," she says.

A familiar face stares back at her with a mixture of concern and love written all over it. Alex Cabot is standing there looking at her the way only she knows how. Olivia moves aside to let her in.

"The jury returned guilty charges on Ray Bevins," Alex states, never one to beat around the bush. She goes to the couch and sits. Olivia just stares at her. Alex pats the space on the couch beside her. Olivia moves towards her, but doesn't sit yet.

"You know, he wouldn't have had to go on trial if I hadn't been more aware of what was going on at the hospital. His daughter might still be alive if I had just spent time with her instead of leaving her on her own. I mean, what was I thinking! This was a rape victim who had been sitting at the hospital just waiting, all by herself. Christ!" Olivia blurts and she falls on the couch next to Alex. Alex reaches over and grasps her hand and strokes the knuckles. She is shocked that Olivia is even opening up to her. Usually, she just keeps her feelings to herself.

"You did everything you could to find this girl. What happened at the hospital was not your fault. She asked you to leave and denied the rape. There was nothing you could do," Alex tells her. Much to her surprise, Olivia turns them so she can lean into Alex. Olivia rarely lets anyone hold her and comfort. She usually does the holding and comforting. I wonder what is sparking this Alex thinks. She doesn't ask, however. She just holds Olivia, clasps her hand tightly around her and murmurs quietly into Olivia's hair.

Olivia turns to look at Alex, her eyes silently asking the question, "Why are you so good to me?" Alex sees the uncertainty and question in her eyes and responds by planting a reassuring kiss on Olivia's soft lips. Olivia smiles into the gesture and wraps her arms around Alex's neck. "Let's go to bed. I'm exhausted," Olivia whispers. Alex grabs her hand and lightly pulls her in the direction of the bedroom.

After brushing their teeth, they undress and slip on their night clothes: tank top and boxers for Olivia and an extra big NYPD t-shirt for Alex. Olivia slides under the covers and motions for Alex to join her. Alex slips underneath the covers and snuggles into Olivia's warm, comforting body. She marvels at the fact that being close to Olivia can make her feel so safe and loved. She turns to look at Olivia and sighs, "I love you."

Olivia stares deep into Alex's brilliant blue eyes and repeats the same mantra back to her. They contentedly drift off into dream-land in each other's arms, knowing all is well in the world. For now.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The sunlight streams through the window. Olivia stirs and wonders why the sun is so bright. She looks at the clock and almost falls out of bed when she sees it is 10am. Alex isn't next to her, so she runs out into the kitchen. Alex is sitting at the kitchen counter, drinking a glass of orange juice and reading the paper. When Alex hears the feet pattering into the kitchen, she looks up and sees the panicked look on Olivia's face. "You're off today, remember?" she states as if it is the most obvious thing in the world.

Olivia visibly relaxes and says, "Thank god for small miracles." She sits down next to Alex and steals a sip of her orange juice. Alex peers at her through her black-rimmed glasses. That look alone is enough to make Olivia shiver. She is perfectly content just to stare at the woman who has given her everything in the world.

"Is there something on my face or am I just that pretty to look at?" Alex finally asks. Olivia pretends to wipe a smudge off the side of Alex's face and grins, "nah, you're just that pretty to look at. You know you make me happier than I've ever been in my life. I dunno why I picked today to tell you all of this. I suppose I'm just feeling sort of truthsome. I love you so much, Alex. I don't know what I'd do without you to pick me up when I'm down."

Alex gazes into Olivia's chocolate-brown eyes with all the love and adoration she can muster. "Olivia, you have changed me so much. I don't know what I would do without you either. I can't tell you how content I am to fall asleep next to you and have you be the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning. I feel so safe and calm when I am around you."

They watch each other for a moment longer until Liv decides to get up and fix herself breakfast. Liv is halfway through her toast and orange juice when the shrill sound of a cell phone ringing startles both of them. Liv jogs back to the bedroom and realizes it is her phone that has interrupted her leisurely morning. She looks at the caller ID and sees Eliot's name. She groans inwardly.

"Benson."

"Liv, it's me."

"What's up? It must be pretty important for you to call me on my day off."

"We caught a case and we need you."

"What happened?"

"Triple homicide. Dad drowned his kids in a hotel bathroom."

"How old?"

"Two, four, and six."

"Christ. Ok, I'll be at the house in 20.

"Thanks Liv. I owe you one. Tell Cabot I said hi."

"K. Will do. See you soon."

Olivia snaps her phone shut, curses, and heads back down the hall into the kitchen. "Hey, sweetie. That was El. We apparently caught a case and they need me down at the house."

"Do you have to go? It's your day off," Alex whines.

"Unfortunately, I do. It's a triple homicide involving kids."

Alex lets out a slow breath and says, "Alrighty. Call me when you get a chance. Will I see you tonight?"

"I hope so. Are you going back to your apartment tonight?"

"Yeah, I think so. Tell you what. Whenever you finish tonight, just come by. I can't guarantee that I'll be awake, but at least you won't have to sleep alone tonight."

"Ok. I'll try. I give you a ring when I get a chance." Olivia pads back down the hall to change into her work attire. She clips her holster and gun to her hip and grabs her badge off the nightstand. She checks the battery on her phone and shoves it into her pocket.

"Love you!" she tosses at Alex on her way out.

"Love you more," Alex tosses back. And with the click of the door, Olivia is on her way.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Olivia pulls up to the stationhouse, parks her car, gets out, and locks it. She walks briskly up the steps and into the 1-6. Once she enters through the double doors, she is greeted with absolute chaos. People are running all over the place. It seems as if all the phones are ringing off the hook. She spots Eliot talking to Cragen and picks her way through the masses towards them.

"Morning, El. Cap.," she mutters. "What happened in here? It looks like a war zone."

"The father that drowned his kids in the hotel bathroom. Well, he's divorced from a New York Senator and he's in the wind," responds Cragen.

"Shit," mutters Olivia.

"Olivia, Elliot, I want you to go back to that hotel room and see what you can get from CSU and see if you can find anything that points to where he might have gone," Cragen directs. "Fin, Munch, go question the Senator. Be nice, she's just discovered that her children have been murdered at the hands of their father."

"Will do, Cap. And I'm always nice," Munch replies. Fin snorts and Olivia and Elliot roll their eyes.

"Get your bony ass in the car, old man," Fin says as he pushes Munch to the door.

"El, I'll meet you at the car. I just have to make a quick call."

"K, Liv. See you out front."

Olivia walks out into the hallway, away from the chaos in the squad room. She hits the speed dial for Alex. The phone rings twice before Alex picks up.

"Cabot."

"Alex, it's me. Looks like I probably won't be seeing you at all tonight. The father that drowned his kids is in the wind. El and I are tracking leads. I'm actually on my out the door now, but I just wanted to let you know."

"Ok, Liv. Don't worry about it. Just focus on your job for now. I'll see you when you can catch a break."

"Thanks so much, sweetie. I'll try to call later. Shit, El's honking at me. Gotta go. Love you!"

"Love you too!" Alex shoots back quickly before hearing the dial tone. "And now back to paperwork," she says to herself.

"What took you so long, Liv?" Eliot asks when Olivia finally gets in the car.

"Oh you know me, I walk slow," Olivia responds. Elliot punches her lightly on the arm and grins. "Making nice with Alex?"

"Oh shut up and drive," Olivia spits out and shoots him a playful glare. "Let's go get this over with. I just want to catch this sadistic sonofabitch."

"As you command, my dear!" Elliot says as he pulls out into the typical New York City traffic jam to slowly make their way to the crime scene at the Marriot.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

Elliot pulls into the space reserved for them in the Marriot parking lot. "Let's get this over with. I wanna find this guy as soon as possible," he says to Liv as they make their way to the front doors.

"Tell me about it. That way I'll have time to…" she stops mid sentence and glances sheepishly at Elliot.

"Spend time with Alex?" he finishes for her, with a knowing smirk.

"Yeah, that…" Olivia replies softly.

They make their way up to the 10th floor to see what they can find that might clue them in to where the father might have gone. They search the hotel room high and low, inside and out, for anything that might give them some sort of hint. Olivia's cell rings.

"Benson," she answers.

"Liv, it's Fin. We just finished talking to the Senator. She says he owns a lake house with his brother in upstate New York. You wanna take it, or you want us to?"

"I suppose you should. You and Munch are closer. We'll go back to the squad and go through the evidence we have already for anywhere else he might have gone, just in case."

"Cool. We'll keep you posted."

Liv slips her phone back into her pocket and turns to Elliot.

"He's got a lake house in upstate New York," she shares. "Fin and Munch are on it. We've pretty much looked at everything here. Let's get back to the squad room and see if there's anything in the evidence we have so far that might point to another place he could be, just in case. Then we can head to his apartment and see if that helps us at all."

"Great. Let's go," Elliot says as he fishes out his car keys. They walk to the car as quickly as they can. They just want to find this guy. No one has the right to drown his kids, no matter how sick he is.

Elliot notices that Liv is fairly quiet during the ride back to the 1-6. "You okay, Liv?"

"Yeah, I'm just thinking about this case, and….El, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure Liv, what's up?"

"Promise you won't laugh?"

"Promise. Scout's honor," Elliot says, holding up his hand.

"Do you think…how do I…" Liv trails off.

"What is it, Liv?" Elliot probes.

"Well, I was just thinking…doyouthinkAlexwouldmoveinwithme?" she mumbles, almost to herself.

"Sorry? I didn't quite catch that," Elliot says with a smile on his face.

"Yes you did, you cheeseball. Don't make me say it again. I feel silly enough having to ask you about it in the first place," she says, punching him lightly in the arm.

"Hey now! I'm driving! But yeah, I think she would. You do have to ask her first, ya know?"

"Ha ha, so funny, El. I know that! I was thinking of asking her this weekend. Saturday night actually. I have a nice night planned."

"Liv, I think she's been good for you so far, and I'm glad that you feel like you're at the point to ask her and that you feel comfortable enough to get my opinion."

"Thanks, El. I really appreciate it," she says as they are walking up the steps to the 1-6.

They walk through the double doors and head to the evidence room. They start in on the details of Mark Castillo's life. They discover that he had previously made threats to his ex-wife about taking the children, but he had never followed through before. They look through divorce papers, medical history, and various other documents, trying to get an idea of who this guy is and how they should deal with him. When Cragen knocked on the door 3 hours later, they look up in surprise. "Go home, you guys. Olivia, I'm sorry you had to come in today. I don't want to see either of you until 10:00 tomorrow. Go home. Get some rest."

"Thanks, Cap. Have you heard from Munch and Fin yet?" Elliot asks.

"Yeah, I just spoke to them about 10 minutes ago. They met the brother at the lake house and he wouldn't let them in without a warrant. They said that they'd call Cabot and ask for one."

"Great. Why is there always a brother who demands a warrant?" Olivia mutters into her hands.

"Go home, you two. There's nothing more you can do here tonight. It's already 11:00."

"K, thanks, Cap," they respond in unison.

"Liv, you need a ride?" Elliot asks.

"Um, lemme call Alex and see where I'm going first," Liv says as she pulls her phone out of her pocket.

"Cabot," a tired voice picks up.

"Hey, hon. Did I wake you?"

"No, it's just been a really long day. Are you on your way?"

"Yeah, I think El's gonna drop me off at your place. That okay?"

"Of course. See you soon!"

"Bye, babe."

"Hey, El? Could you drop me off at Alex's?"

"Sure, no problem. I haven't seen her in a bit anyways."

"Thanks. And thanks for your advice."

"Anytime, Liv."

They head to the car and begin on their way, the traffic not that heavy because of the late hour.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

Elliot pulls up in from of the apartment complex that Alex lives in. Olivia gets out, thanks Elliot and heads to the door. Olivia hits the buzzer for Alex's apartment.

"Liv, is that you?"

"Yeah, hon. Lemme up!"

"Haha, fine. Have patience, my friend."

Alex hits the buzzer and Olivia pushes the door open. She makes her way to the elevator and hits the button for the 5th floor. Olivia taps her fingers on the side of her leg as she rides the elevator towards Alex's apartment. She steps out of the elevator and walks down the hallway towards the familiar brown door. She knocks lightly.

"It's open!" Olivia hears from the inside. She walks in, hanging her coat on the rack by the door. She wanders through the apartment looking for a certain blonde haired, blue eyed ADA. Olivia enters the guest room-turned office adjacent to Alex's bedroom. She sees Alex sitting behind the desk furiously typing on her computer, the glasses of justice perched on the bridge of her nose. She smiles, "hey cutie, you ever lock your door?"

Alex grins and walks over to give Olivia a kiss. "I knew you were coming up, so I left it open for you."

"Can I cook you dinner tonight? Do you have anything in your fridge I can use? Cause the last time I was here it was left-over takeout and bottled water and I know you haven't eaten yet," Olivia asks. Alex punches her playfully in the arm and replies, "yeah, you big goof. I just went to the supermarket today, so you have plenty with which to work your magic."

"Fantastic. I might have to run out to pick up a few extra things, but let's go see the damage your superior shopping skills have done to your kitchen."

"Liv! So not funny! I have good shopping skills!"

"Yeah, in a mall," Liv says and then dodges a punch that Alex throws at her and then runs into the kitchen. Alex follows and arrives just in time to see Olivia duck down behind the counter. Alex manages to sneak around the counter to where Olivia is crouching down. Just before Alex reaches her, Liv turns around and tackles her to the floor. Liv has the advantage, being the one who pulled Alex down, and starts mercilessly tickling Alex.

"Liv, Liv, stop. Stop," Alex manages to squeak out in between giggling madly. "Liv, seriously. I can't breathe!"

"Okay, okay, you win. For now!"

"Now, lemme up so I can help you cook dinner."

"No. I want you to sit at the counter and relax. You shouldn't be working at home. Home is for relaxing."

Alex suddenly decides to glance at her watch. "Liv! It's eleven pm already? Last thing I knew I was securing a warrant for Munch and Fin."

"Um, yeah. I knew you would get caught up in work, so I decided I was making dinner. I haven't eaten yet either. I've been looking at the details of Mark Castillo's life for the past three hours."

"You know me too well. So what are we having for this untraditionally late dinner?"

Olivia takes a look at the contents of Alex's refrigerator. She sees everything she needs for the perfect dinner. She begins pulling ingredients out. Alex just sits and watches as bell peppers, chicken breasts, Swiss cheese, ham, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, baby carrots, potatoes, butter, brown sugar, rosemary, Caesar dressing, honey mustard, and some cutlery end up on the kitchen table.

"So I was thinking that maybe we could go out Saturday night. I'll pick you up here if you're free…" Liv trails off.

"That sounds great, baby. Where'd you have in mind?"

"Well, I actually planned something, but it's a secret for now. Trust me?"

"I'd trust you with my life, Liv," Alex replies with a completely serious look on her face.

Liv smiled softly and says, "Wear something nice. Maybe not as nice as something you'd wear to one of your mother's functions, but dressier than casual."

Liv continues washing the vegetables in the sink. She cuts the chicken almost in half, but not quite all the way through and places the cheese and ham in between the two halves. She adds a light coating of mustard on top. She places the chicken in a pan and pops in the already heated oven and sets the timer for 30 minutes. She starts in on peeling the potatoes. Alex was just content to watch her cook. "You know you are really gorgeous when you cook?"

Liv smiles sheepishly and shrugs. She begins dicing the potatoes and placing them on a tray. She sprinkles rosemary on top and pops them into the oven with the chicken.

"What are you making?" Alex inquires.

"Well, I was gonna surprise you, but since you're watching me cook, cause that's the only way I know you aren't gonna go back to work, I'll tell you. I'm making chicken cordon bleu, roasted potatoes, Caesar salad, brown sugar carrots, and I have yet to pick the wine. Actually, you wanna do that? You have great taste in wine."

"Ohhhh yumm. That sounds amazing. Yeah, lemme see what I have in the way of wine and I'll let you know," Alex says as she gets up to investigate.

"And I better not catch you working!" Liv whips a dish towel in her direction.

"Count on it!" Alex playfully calls back.

Liv turns her attention back to her task at hand. She starts the water for the carrots and tosses the salad. Then she turns to melt the butter and mix it with brown sugar. The timer goes off for the potatoes and she pulls them out with an oven mitt. She checks the times for the chicken and sees it has about 15 minutes left on it. As she starts the carrots, Alex returns with a bottle of wine. "Oh, Liv. That smells heavenly," Alex breathes.

"Good. I'm glad. I just hope it tastes as good as it smells."

"Oh, I'm sure it will."

Liv returns her attention to her carrots. She pops the potatoes back in the oven for a few minutes so they stay warm. When the timer goes off for the chicken, she pulls that and the potatoes out. Alex hands her two plates and Liv dishes up. They carry their food and glasses of wine into the dining room. They sit across from one another and dig in.

"Oh. My. God. Liv, this is so good. Seriously, this is one of the best meals I've ever had," Alex states sincerely.

"Thanks," replies Liv quietly, not used to the praise.

They finish up their dinner with light banter back and forth. After they'd rinsed their dishes and put them in the dishwasher, they make their way to the sofa and flip on the TV. Alex snuggles into Liv and sighs contentedly. "Do you have to go to work tomorrow or can we just stay like this forever?" Alex looks up at Liv and sees that she is lost in thought.

"Liv? Earth to Liiiivvv…"

"Huh? Oh, sorry. What'd you say?"

"Hon, what's on your mind? Something's bugging you."

"Oh, it's just this case. There's something I'm missing. I'm sure of it..."

Alex could tell she was avoiding something, but let it slide. Alex knows Liv would open up to her in time. She just hopes it's sooner rather than later. She yawns widely.

"Come on, Alex. Let's get to bed. It's late and we both have to work in the morning."

Much like the previous night, they snuggle up together in bed and quickly find sleep. The last thought running through Liv's mind is one of worry and anticipation for what she plans on asking Alex on Saturday.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

Alex and Olivia pass the next few days in anticipation for what is to come on Saturday night. Alex has no clue what Olivia is planning, so she is even more excited than normal. Olivia, however, is extremely nervous, so she tries to concentrate on work as much as possible. She and Elliot have made some progress on the Castillo case and are currently rehashing what they know in front of the white board where the entire case is taped out in chronological order. Fin and Munch managed to strike out two days previously with the brother in upstate New York. They are essentially back to square one.

"I know there is something we're missing. It's right in front of us, and I just can't seem to find it," Olivia exclaims in frustration.

"We'll find it. We've managed to find the key with less evidence before. We just need to keep looking. I think we should go back and talk to the brother. He's gotta know where Mark is," replies Elliot.

"Alright. Why don't you and I go talk to him to see if he's more susceptible to us rather than Munch's theories?"

"I heard that, Olivia!" shouts Munch and he throws a paper ball at Olivia's head. Olivia manages to dodge it, grabs her coat, and motions to Elliot. "Let's get going. I have to be back kinda early today."

"Ah, yes. The elusive date that has gotten you tied up in knots for the last few days," Much says mock-wisely.

"Shut up, John," Elliot defends his partner. "Let's get this done. I wanna catch this guy. You think we can get the brother on aiding and abetting?"

"Let's go talk to him and find out."

Elliot and Olivia head upstate and have a chat with the brother. They manage to pull some information out of him when they threaten him with jail time. They discover that there is a secret storm shelter on the property that only Mark and his brother know about. Unfortunately, they need an arrest warrant to pick up Mark. Olivia calls Alex while Elliot makes sure that the brother doesn't warn Mark.

"Alex, it's me."

"Hey sweetie."

"We need an arrest warrant. We found Castillo."

"Fantastic. I'll make a quick phone call. Is there a fax machine where you are?"

"Hang on, lemme check."

"Hey, El. Is there a fax machine here?"

Elliot turns and talks to his captive. He nods and says, "yeah, in the study. The number's on the side."

"Great," Olivia says and returns to her phone.

"Alex? There's a fax machine here."

"Great! Can you read me off the number?"

"Yeah, just gimme a sec. I have to find it first."

Olivia reads the number off the side, gets everything squared away, and bids Alex goodbye. A few minutes later, the arrest warrant has come through and Elliot and Olivia are following the brother to the storm shelter. They pull Mark Castillo out from the secret shelter and Olivia reads him his Miranda rights. Before she knows it, they are back at the 1-6 and Castillo is on his way to central booking. Olivia glances at the clock. It's already 4. "Shit, El! I really have to go. I have pick something up for tonight. Cover for me?"

"Sure thing, Liv. I owe you for when the twins were sick anyways."

"Thanks!" Liv calls as she runs out the door.

Over at the courthouse, Alex has started to glance at the clock about ever 30 seconds, so it seems like time has effectively stopped. She finally has had enough and decides to go home and start getting ready. She manages to make it home by about 4:30ish and hops in the shower.

After her errand, Olivia finally reaches her apartment; she checks the time, reassuring the fact that she won't be late. She picks out her outfit and jumps in the shower to wash of the grime of the day.

Once Alex finished with her shower, she begins the lengthy process of figuring out what to wear for this surprise evening. She manages to go through just about her entire closet, until she finds the perfect dress. A black, knee-length with a V-neck. She puts the necklace on that Liv gave her for their 6-month anniversary. She checks the clock again. She has 15 minutes to spare before Liv comes to pick her up.

Liv has finally managed to get herself ready without any major disasters. She gets in her car and makes her way towards Alex's.

Alex hears the knock on the door and vaguely wonders why Liv didn't buzz up to get in. She opens the door and suddenly finds that she can't breathe. Liv is standing there with a bouquet of yellow roses in black dress pants, a fitting red top and her signature leather jacket. "Hi," Alex manages to squeak out.

"Can I come in?"

Alex laughs and stands aside to let her in. Alex takes the roses from Liv, "These are absolutely gorgeous!"

"Just like you!"

"Jeez, Liv. You are so corny."

"Only for you, dearest!"

"So, where are we going?"

"You've managed not to pop from anticipation yet, so you can wait a little longer."

Liv offers Alex her arm and they stroll to the elevator after locking Alex's door. Liv helps Alex into the car and they are on their way. Liv pulls into a parking space near the docks and helps Alex out again. She leads Alex towards what looks like a mini-cruise ship. Alex turns to Olivia with a questioning look. Olivia just shakes her head. She leads Alex up the gangway onto the foredeck. There is a table set up with candles and flowers.

"Oh, Liv. This is beautiful. This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me."

They sit and enjoy a very leisurely dinner while watching the sunset. Around 7:15, Liv stands and offers her hand to Alex. "There's more?" Alex asks. Olivia just grins. The boat drops them off back where they had gotten on and Liv leads them back to the car. The next thing Alex knows, they are getting out in the theatre district and heading towards a huge sign that says "Young Frankenstein."

"Olivia, are you serious? You're taking me to see a show?! I haven't been in so long and I really want to see this one! Young Frankenstein is one of my favorite movies."

Olivia smiles and marvels at the light in Alex's eyes. "Come on. Let's go get our seats."

They have great seat, about halfway up the orchestra section. Olivia is torn between watching the show and watching Alex watch the show. Eventually the show wins out, because it is just that funny. They are both in tears they are laughing so hard by the end of it. They make their way back to the car, discussing the funnier aspect of the show and humming the songs in their heads. Olivia drives them back to her apartment and motions for Alex to come up. Alex senses that she is nervous about something, so she acquiesces quietly. Once they reach the inside of the apartment, Olivia asks, "You want something to drink or eat?"

"Nah, I'm alright. Come on; let's go sit on the couch. I'm all for heels, but my feet are killing me."

Alex leads them to the couch and they flop down and kick off their shoes. Olivia looks at her girlfriend with apprehension and fear.

"Alex…." she starts.

"What is it, Liv? Something is bothering you."

"Well, I've been thinking a lot recently about us and where we're at right now. I mean we already spend practically every night at one another's apartment and we do dates like this and have lunch all the time. I guess what I'm trying to say…I wanted to ask you if…Um, Alex? Would you move in with me?" Olivia stumbles over the last part of her rambling.

Alex just stares at her and thinks to herself, "God she is cute when she is nervous and flustered."

Olivia begins to get nervous because Alex hasn't said anything yet. "Alex, just forget I said anything…" She is silenced by a light finger on her lips, effectively shushing her. "Olivia, I would love to move in with you," Alex replies and draws her in for a searing kiss.

"Good. I'm glad. Now all we have to do is figure out which stuff we keep and whose stuff goes where."

"We'll figure that out tomorrow. I'm beat. Let's crash."

They head to bed, each with enormous smiles on their faces. They snuggle into one another and are content to feel the warmth and comfort they draw from each other. The last thoughts on their minds are of this new aspect to their relationship and what it will mean for them.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

Alex and Olivia wake up the next morning, and as it is Sunday, they take their time waking up. Olivia gets out of bed first and pads into the bathroom before heading to the kitchen to start the coffee. She grabs the paper from outside of her door and spreads it out on the kitchen counter. Alex wakes up to the smell of brewing coffee and inhales deeply.

"You sure know how to wake a girl up," she quips once she reaches the kitchen.

"Hey, you know me. I aim to please," Olivia says before looking up from her paper.

"So…about the whole moving in together bit. Do you want me to move in here with you, or do you want to move in with me?" Alex asks as she fixes herself a cup of coffee.

"Alex, if it's okay with you, I would love it if you moved in with me. It's just; this apartment is closer to work for both of us. I figure it makes more sense to be close to work."

"I agree. I like this apartment better anyways. It has more of a lived in, homey feel to it."

"Aw thanks hon. So whaddya think? Which furniture where?"

"I think we can keep your bed, but we are getting rid of your couch. I think it was made when dinosaurs roamed the earth."

"Haha, you are so funny. So I have an old couch. It's not like you've ever had to sleep on it."

"No, but that's only because whenever we fall asleep watching TV, I'm always lying on top of you."

"Ok, ok. I concede. Your couch and your TV, too. Mine is old and I was planning on getting a new one soon anyways. I think we can fit two dressers in my room, so that's not a problem. We can get the guys to help us move all of our stuff."

"Okie dokie. Why don't we plan on doing this move thing two weekends from now?"

"Right, I'm on call next weekend. Brilliant plan!"

"That's why they call me ADA!"

Olivia pulls Alex into a tight embrace and is content to inhale her very Alex-y scent. Alex leans up and kisses Olivia on the cheek and bounces off to the shower. While Alex is in the shower, Olivia finishes the paper and folds it up for Alex. Then they swap. Alex reads the paper while Olivia showers. They had talked yesterday about spending a very lazy Sunday relaxing and enjoying one another's company. Olivia is not on call today, so she is free of that burden. While Olivia is in the shower, Alex finishes the paper and pulls out her attaché case. She is in the process of pulling out some of her work papers when her eyes are all of a sudden covered by soft, warm hands.

"Liiiiv, I can't see and you're getting finger smudges on my glasses," Alex whines.

Liv releases her hold on Alex very quickly, "well now, we wouldn't want that as I find your glasses of justice extremely sexy."

"Sexy, huh? Good to know you find an inanimate object sexy."

Liv rolls her eyes at this statement. "Well obviously they're sexy when they're on you. When they're just sitting there, they're just glasses…Another question. Why are you doing work on a Sunday? We both have the day off. I want to spend it with Alex, not ADA Alexandra Cabot."

"Oh I see. Well I might need some convincing."

Liv smirks at this statement and starts to kiss her way down Alex's neck until she finds the place that only she knew about. Alex moans and Liv smiles into the soft flesh she is kissing. "Let's go for a walk in Central Park," Liv says into Alex's neck.

"Liv, you are such a tease, but I could go for a walk. Besides, it's gorgeous out. Why wouldn't I want to spend a gorgeous day with a gorgeous woman?"

Olivia blushes and looks shyly at Alex. "Why am I so lucky," she thinks to herself. She grabs Alex's hand and they head out the door to their destination.

The spend the next two hours just walking around Central Park and chatting about various things, mostly about how they were going to condense two apartments full of stuff into one. When Alex's stomach begins to grumble, Olivia giggles and suggests a place for lunch. They keep up the light banter throughout lunch, until Alex remembers Casey's softball game is today. Liv and Alex rush to the field after throwing down the money to pay for lunch and make it just in time. They spot Munch and Fin in the stands and join them.

"Ah, if it's not the loveliest ladies of the SVU squad," says Munch as they sit down.

"John, we're the only ladies of the SVU squad…" Olivia replies.

"Both of you shut it. The game's starting," Fin mutters.

The foursome spent the next 2 hours watching Casey's team kill their opponents. They hang around and wait for Casey to come out of the locker rooms after the game. She finally emerges with a big softball bad slung over her shoulder and spots her friends.

"Hey guys, thanks for coming. Not much of a show, but I hope it was fun anyways."

"Are you kidding me? You guys killed 'em!" Fin replies. "Hey, we're heading to Chauncey's for drinks. You wanna come?"

"Yeah, sure. Lemme throw my bag in the trunk of my car. Anyone need a ride?"

Alex and Liv nod and follow Casey to her car. About 10 minutes later, they meet Munch and Fin at the bar. Munch and Fin already have a table and a pitcher of beer sitting on it.

"To Casey. A kick ass softball player!" Everyone raises their glasses in a toast.

"So where's Elliot this fine evening?" Casey asks the three detectives.

"I believe he is spending it with Kathy, but how 'bout I call and invite them both?" Liv replies.

Everyone nods in agreement as Liv pulls out her cell phone. Once Elliot and Kathy have agreed to meet them, Olivia challenges Alex to a game of pool. By the time Alex has finished wiping the pool table with Olivia, Elliot and Kathy show up to join in the fun.

All 6 spend the next 3 hours laughing, joking, swapping stories and just having a good time.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Could you guys help us move Alex into my apartment two weekends from now? We need help with some of the bulkier stuff," Liv requests.

Elliot delivers a shit-eating grin and says, "I told you she'd say yes and of course I'll help." Munch and Fin also agree to help, even though they will be on call and Casey says she'll try to make it over for at least a couple of hours.

"Thanks guys. We really appreciate this," Alex says. She glances at her watch, "Sweetie, we should really get going. It's late and we both have to work tomorrow."

"Okie dokie. Let's get outta here. We can walk. We're only about a block from my apartment."

Olivia and Alex bid everyone goodnight, and head home to Olivia's, soon to be their, apartment.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**_

Two weekends later, Elliot is in the middle of grunting and groaning with Fin, dragging Olivia's couch downstairs. "Christ, Liv! Why couldn't you have a couch with wings? This thing is heavy!"

"What? A detective who passed his fitness tests can't carry a simple couch?" Alex inquires.

"You try carryin' a couch down 3 flights of stairs. It ain't exactly easy," Fin growls back.

"Where the hell is Munch? He was supposed to be here an hour ago…" Liv asks Fin.

"How the hell should I know? I ain't his babysitter. He's probably claiming anthrax again. That dude is such a hypochondriac." Fin grins as he and Elliot drop the couch in the back of his truck. "Remind me again where this is going, Liv?"

"I'm dropping it off at the homeless shelter. While this couch is old, the one they have is worse. They could use a new couch."

Fin and Elliot nod and head back up the stairs to grab more furniture. Once all of the stuff Liv isn't keeping is in the back of the truck, Fin heads off to the homeless shelter and everyone else heads to Alex apartment to procure the right furniture to bring to Olivia's.

Casey meets them at Alex's apartment and helps Elliot and Olivia dismantle Alex bed and bring it outside. By this time, Fin has driven up with the truck, so Casey and Alex start loading the things they have brought down to the street onto the truck. Liv and Elliot are maneuvering Alex's dresser and television to the front door of her apartment when Munch ambles in.

"Where the _hell_ have you been?" Liv and Elliot send him death glares. Munch just shrugs and grabs one of the boxes and heads down the stairs. Elliot and Olivia shake their heads at one another and get back to work.

By the time 6pm rolls around, everything has been moved to either Olivia's apartment or the local homeless shelter. Alex and Olivia bid everyone good night, thank them profusely and promise to have them all over for dinner as a formal thank you. "Are you cooking, Alex?" Munch asks. "'Cause I've heard you set fire to your stove trying to boil water."

Olivia tries to stifle a snigger, but fails miserably. Alex just looks at her in a way that says, "If you ever want anything from me again, you will shut your mouth. Now." Olivia sobers immediately. "Now Munch, you will just have to come over and see what gets put in front of you. Where is your sense of adventure?"

"I get plenty of adventure working with Fin, thanks. That's all the adventure I need."

Fin rolls his eyes and quips, "aw thanks, partner. It's sure been a pleasure working with you, too."

After a little more light bantering, everyone finally splits, leaving the ADA and the Detective to organize their apartment a little more. Alex headed to the bedroom to unpack all of her clothes and put them in the closet and dresser. Olivia revels in the fact that she has a new couch with a great television. She grabs a glass of water and flops down on it. "Liv, honey? Could you come here a minute?" Alex calls from the bedroom.

"Yeah, sure. Lemme put down my water. I'll be right in." Liv heads to the sink and puts her glass in it. Then, she makes her way to the bedroom. At first she doesn't see Alex, but then realizes she is ass-deep in the closet. She has put her hair up in a messy ponytail and changed into one of Olivia's oversized NYPD t-shirts and flannel boxers. "Babe, what'd you need?"

Alex pokes her head out and points to the box of stuff on the bed. Liv walks up to it and does a double take. She hasn't seen this box in years and hasn't thought about it for longer than that. Alex sees the shock and slight terror on Olivia's face and immediately goes over to her girlfriend. "Baby? What is it?" she asks tenderly. Liv opens and closes her mouth a few times before sitting abruptly on the bed. She looks so lost and scared that Alex climbs up on the bed behind her and begins massaging her shoulders. When Liv finally attempts to speak, an undignified squeak comes out. She clears her throat and tries again.

"I…uh…haven't actually ever looked through it. I found it my mom's house after she died. I haven't quite had the courage to go through it. It just sits there, burning a hole in my floor in the back of my closet…." Liv looks like she's about to break down.

"Okay, okay, okay. Shhhh, its okay. Would it make you feel better if we went through it together?" Alex says as she rubs Olivia's back. Olivia nods and says, "But not tonight, okay? I can't do it tonight. Can we just finish moving you in and talk about it later?"

Alex nods her agreement and pulls Olivia into a hug and then walks back over to the closet to finish putting her stuff away. Olivia sits there numb for a second before getting up and heading back to the front room to put more stuff away. By about 11pm, they finally have everything the way they want it. Liv wanders back to the bedroom and flops on the bed, completely exhausted. Alex soon joins her after she finishes organizing their office. Alex is just about to ask Olivia if she's okay, when Olivia plants a kiss on her forehead. "How 'bout we hit they hay? We've had a big day," Olivia sighs. Alex nods her agreement and the two of them head to the bathroom to shower, and complete other nightly activities before drifting to dreamland in _their_ apartment.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9**_

Olivia manages to get up just before the alarm goes off. She looks over at Alex, who is still sleeping peacefully and smiles. Olivia turns the alarm off and makes her way into the kitchen to start the coffee. While the coffee is brewing, she wanders back to the bedroom and drops a kiss lightly on Alex's forehead. Not many people are privy to the beautiful sight of an inarticulate Alex Cabot, but when Olivia spends nights with Alex, she sees this wonderful sight as Alex is waking up. A muffled grunt comes out of her mouth and Olivia stifles a chuckle. Alex finally sits up and blinks a few times. "Is that coffee I smell?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Olivia responds smartly.

"Don't be smart with me, babe. I have the power to withhold…"Alex trails off as Olivia plants a kiss on her mouth. They'd passed the awkwardness about morning breath long ago. Unfortunately, Olivia has to break the kiss when she hears the timer on the coffee pot ding. Alex pulls her back in for another quick kiss before releasing her. Liv flashes the trademark Benson grin at Alex on the way to the kitchen. Olivia is in the middle of pouring two cups of coffee when she feels arms wrap around her waist.

"Baby, if you keep distracting me, you won't get your coffee, and trust me, I've seen Alex Cabot when she doesn't get her coffee. She is a beast I am not willing to release on the world."

"Haha. You're hysterical, Liv," Alex deadpans and reaches for the newspaper. Olivia brings the coffee over to the kitchen table as Alex joins her with the paper. Olivia sips her coffee, thinking about what Alex had discovered the night before. She had shared some of her past with Alex, but she is not sure she wants to share the horrors that her mother inflicted on her. Olivia is afraid that Alex might see her as damaged goods and leave her. Her thoughts must have shown on her face because Alex looks up at her and asks what's wrong.

"Huh? Wha…Oh. Nothing," Olivia responds, yanked out of her thoughts.

Alex knows what must be on Olivia's mind, but doesn't press the subject. She simply nods and goes back to her paper. It isn't long after that, however, that Olivia stands and wanders into the bedroom. Against her better judgment, Alex's curiosity gets to her and she follows Olivia. When Alex reaches the bedroom, she sees Olivia just standing there, staring at the closet, as if something might leap out of it and bite her. Alex doesn't interfere, she just watches from the doorway. Olivia finally musters the courage to walk into the closet and reach for the box. She pulls it out and turns to place it on the bed. As she turns, she spots Alex, who is still standing in the doorway, with an expression of the utmost love on her face. Olivia motions to for her to join her on the bed. Alex sits next to Olivia, but doesn't make any motion to console or stop the inevitable flow of words.

"I hated her, you know," Olivia finally says.

Alex nods, knowing that Olivia is talking about her mother.

"I really, truly hated her. But I cried at her funeral. I was angry. I didn't understand it. I still don't. I shoved this box to the back of my closet, hoping to forget about it and forget about her. I don't want to share what she did to me with you. You'd probably want to raise her from the dead so you could re-kill her," Olivia lets a small scoff pass through her lips. Alex just takes her hand in support, not saying anything. She has a feeling that if she does, Olivia would shut down, as is her custom.

"I never felt strong enough to open this box before now, nor did I have any interest, but for some reason, now I just want to open it, find out what's in it and put it behind me."

So, without any further explanation, Olivia takes off the lid of the box and stares at the contents inside. The first thing she pulls out is a piece of paper, on which Alex can see a carefully scripted letter. As Olivia begins to read the letter, tears run down her cheeks. "She says she's sorry for all she put me through and wishes it could have been different for me. She doesn't even mention my father. Well, why would she? He's the bastard who made her the way she was."

"Olivia?" Alex inquires.

It is only then that Olivia realizes how little Alex knows about her past. She puts the box aside and faces her girlfriend. "Before I continue going through this box, I should tell you a little more about my past."

Alex begins to protest, but Olivia holds up a finger. "If we're going to be in a relationship, it has to be built on trust. How can I build a relationship with you if you know virtually nothing about why I am the way I am?"

"Alright, sweetie. I'm listening."

"Walking home one night after finishing her shift at the campus cafeteria, my mother was attacked, dragged into an alley and raped. Although she reported it to the police, they didn't look into it too much because she couldn't remember very many details. She is a big reason why I became an SVU detective. Nine months after her rape, I was born. Every day of my life, I am afraid that I'll end up turning out just like my father. I once said to Elliot, 'Half my genes are drunk and the other half are violent and cruel.' What he said to me didn't mean as much then as it does now. He told me, 'yeah, and look how great you turned out.' I really am lucky to have him as a partner. Anyways, because of her rape, my mother, who was a successful English professor at Columbia, became an alcoholic. I was always the one to clean up after her when she passed out on the couch. Get her another drink when she finished the previous one. I was the one who had to survive her drunken rages. When I was 16, a guy in her literary class, who was 21 at the time, asked me to marry him. I agreed so I could get away from my mother. When she found out, she was halfway through a bottle. She smashed it against the wall, picked up one of the jagged edges, and came at me screaming, 'I'll never let anyone else have you.' So I kicked her…hard. She flew back against the wall and I ran. I'd never hurt her before. I somehow made it out, survived all the abuse. You know, there were times when I'd see a glimpse of how she must have been before the attack, before me. And then she'd turn and see me, a constant reminder of what happened. No matter how hard she tried to look at me without seeing the ugly thing that created me, she couldn't. It was always there underneath everything else…." Olivia finally trails off. She can't bring herself to look at Alex, not wanting to see the look of pure disgust she expects. She just stares at the bed cover.

Alex pulls her face up and stares into it. The only thing Olivia can see is love. There is not other word to describe it, except pure love. Alex drops a loving kiss on Olivia's forehead and pulls her into a tight embrace. Olivia buries her head in Alex's shoulder and sobs. She sobs until she is completely exhausted and finally drifts into a restless nap with her head on Alex's lap.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

_**Chapter 10**_

Once Alex is convinced Olivia is sound asleep, she gets up to fix herself something to eat. She hasn't eaten anything yet except the coffee she had over 3 hours ago because of Olivia's sudden outburst. She'd known it was coming. Ever since Olivia had seen that box yesterday, Alex understood that she would soon be learning a lot more about Olivia's past, but she wasn't sure exactly what. What came out of Olivia's mouth 2 hours ago was not what she was expecting. She sighs and leans against the kitchen counter mulling over all that Olivia told her. She now understands Olivia's need to fight for the victim, her passion when it came to her job. The fights they often get into over the job make a lot more sense now. Olivia was right. Alex does want to exhume Serena Benson's body, but she doesn't want to kill her, she wants to kick her ass and then say how sorry she is for everything that happened to her. She wonders how she was never able to see it before, Olivia's knack with victims, her tendency to go beyond her call of duty, often keeping in touch with victims long after their trials ended. "I guess I was never really looking for it," she says to herself. She decides to go back to the bedroom to check on Olivia. When she gets there, the bed is empty, but she does hear the water running in the bathroom. Olivia emerges and is a little startled to see Alex standing there.

"I went through the rest of the items in the box. There were some old pictures, a couple of items from when she was teaching at Columbia and some other things I haven't seen in years. Nothing really important other than the pictures and the letter. Honestly, when I found the box, I didn't really want to open it. I was jaded enough that I thought it might be another hideaway for more of her booze. I found 32 bottles hidden away in various places all over the house. By the time I found the box, I was kind of numb and didn't really care anymore. If I had opened it then, I probably would have thrown it out immediately. I'm glad I didn't." Olivia's voice is hoarse. She hasn't talked this much in a long, long time.

Alex isn't really sure what to say to that, so she just stands there, not knowing if Olivia wants more comfort or to be alone or what. This is the trouble with just moving in with someone, no matter how well you know them. You don't know their personal space boundaries and since this is formerly Olivia's apartment, Alex doesn't want to step on Olivia's toes. But, Olivia solves the problem for her. She goes over to Alex, takes her hand and asks if she wants to go for a run. Alex nods in agreement and they set off 10 minutes later.

Running is Olivia's outlet. When she can't figure something out, she goes for a run. Usually she runs down her street and back, but today she wants a change of scenery, so she and Alex run through Central Park. By the time they reach their apartment again, it is about 2 in the afternoon. Olivia feels much better and she can tell that Alex does, too.

"Liv?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?" Alex asks tentatively.

"Yeah, I'm feeling a lot better now actually. I wasn't really sure how I was feeling before, but my head is much clearer now. Thanks."

"For what?"

"You know, for still loving me even after learning how I came into the world."

"Olivia, I don't care how you came into this world. What matters is that you're here now and I love you no matter what happens."

Olivia grins and pulls Alex into a tight embrace. "Let's go out to dinner tonight. Whaddya say? Our first official date as a cohabitating couple."

"Sounds great," Alex responds with a smile.


End file.
